THE ITALY-MEXICO COMMERCE CONNECTION

As with other neighboring countries that are part of the European Union, Italy has strengthened its treaties with the TLCUEM (Free Trade Agreement between Mexico and the European Union), signed in the year 2000. This agreement has facilitated the exchange of goods and services between these two nations, boosting bilateral trade.

These commercial exchanges have made it possible for Mexican companies to transfer their operations to Italy, while Italian companies have transferred their operations and investments to Mexico.

This research will analyze the product exchanges that exist between these countries, as well as the cultural traditions and customs that influence negotiations between Italians and Mexicans.

Which Mexican companies exist in Italy?

Some of the Mexican companies with investments and operations in Italy are Grupo Orbia, Gruma, The Dolphin Discovery, Alpha Yachts, Grupo Bimbo, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (Draxton), Tesi and Palace Resorts.

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Which Italian companies exist in Mexico?

Among the Italian companies with operations in Mexico include Techint-Tenaris, Enel, Enel Green Power, Barilla, Brembo, Assurazioni Generali, FIAT, Pirelli, Ferrero, ENI, FCA, Saipem, Bonatti, Elica, Stevanato and Maccaferri.

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How to do business?

Italians, unlike other European countries such as Germany, are known for having a more relaxed and flexible culture, while Germany is renowned for its rigid structure with a strong focus on punctuality and precision of actions and speech.

Italian business culture is managed hierarchically, while maintaining a participatory environment open to debate. Although decisions fall on executive leaders, they are willing to exchange ideas. Expressing disagreement is acceptable, aslong as it is supported by solid arguments.

In the business environment, Italians tend to start their meetings with certain delays and even extend a little longer than agreed, however, that does not mean that Italians agree to be late intentionally, but rather that they are more flexible compared to other cultures.

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What does Mexico export to Italy?

According to data from the OCE (Organization of Economic Cooperation), in 2023, Mexico exported a total of $1.2 billions to Italy. Of that total, the main products were crude oil ($151M), Engine Parts ($96.3M), and Feldspar ($63.2M).

In addition, Mexico, like other countries, stands out for its exports of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, which generated a profit of $6,176 billion pesos.

As for T-MEC exports, which include Canada, Mexico and the United States),9% of them went to Italy.

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What does Mexico import from Italy?

With the information provided by the Statista Research AI tool, we gather that Italy exports a wide range of products to Mexico, with significant growth in recent years. Among the main products exported to Mexico are machinery and equipment, which represent 16.1% of total Italian imports.

Exports of transport equipment represent 10.8%, textiles, clothing and accessories 10.4%, as well as metals and metal products 10.4%.

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Interesting and relevant facts about Italy

According to data collected in Statista, “The excellence of “Made in Italy” products in sectors such as mechanics and shipbuilding, fashion and food is widely recognized internationally, stimulating demand for Italian products abroad. In 2023, the country recorded a trade surplus of 34 billion euros, meaning that Italy exported more than it imported in the same year.” (Imports and exports in Italy - statistics & facts, 2025)

A positive trade balance encourages economic growth, while a deficit can generate external debt, although it benefits rapidly growing economies that need to import raw materials. This implies that Italy is producing more goods and services than other countries want to buy, which is the opposite of Mexico, which, despite being recognized as a major international exporter, has a negative trade balance and imports more than it exports.

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The cultural differences between Mexico and Italy are not as marked compared to other countries of the European Union. As mentioned previously, the existence of free trade agreements (FTAs) facilitates the exchange of goods between both countries, allowing Italy to play an important role as an exporter of various resources to Mexico, from machinery to food products and textiles. For its part, Mexico provides them with oil, engine parts and feldspar. Current trade ties continue to make possible the growth of both countries and the mutual benefit of their economies.